Data communication systems exchange user data for user devices to provide various data communication services. The user devices may be phones, computers, media players, and the like. The data communication services might be media streaming, audio/video conferencing, data messaging, or internet access. Wireless communication networks are deployed to extend the range and mobility of these data communication services.
The typical wireless communication network has several macro-cell base stations that provide radio coverage over large urban areas. The macro-cell base stations may still not be able to cover every part of the urban area with enough capacity. Outside of the urban areas, the macro-cell base stations may be too large for environments like inter-state highways and smaller towns. Wireless relays are deployed to alleviate these problems.
A wireless relay has a wireless access point to wirelessly communicate with user devices. The wireless relay also has wireless Relay Equipment (RE) to wirelessly communicate with macro-cell base stations or other relays. Thus, the macro-cell base stations serve both user devices and wireless relays, and the wireless relays also serve both user devices and wireless relays.
A Radio Access Network (RAN) made of wireless relays has a finite amount of data throughput and wireless resources. The actual data throughput and wireless resources are largely driven by the attached User Equipment (UEs). The data throughput and wireless resources used by each UE are aggregated to become the data throughput and wireless resources used by the wireless relay. The wireless resources may comprise Carrier Aggregation (CA) links. The CA links comprise a Primary Component Carrier (PCC) for network signaling and user data. The CA links include Secondary Component Carriers (SCCs) for additional user data. In some cases, the relay UE also uses CA for its network access.
Unfortunately, the wireless access points do not effectively and efficiently assign data thresholds and wireless resources to the wireless relays in the RAN.